Plating machine



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@HIV/ J. 8O/@000V zo f United States Patent O PLATING MACHINE Daniel J.Borodin, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Wagner Brothers Incorporated,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June 10, 1957,Serial No. 664,840

20 Claims. (Cl. 134-76) This invention relates to plating machines.

In my application Serial No. 596,712, filed July 9, 1956, I havedisclosed an automatic plating machine of the type wherein work piecesare moved through stations of a plating tank by means of pushers mountedon a carriage which reciprocates alongside the tanks. The work piecesare transferred from one tank to the next adjacent tank by means byvertically moving elevators on the reciprocating carriage. 1n a machineof that type, the distance between stations in a multiple station tankhas to be equal to the stroke of the carriage less the amount ofovertravel necessary for the pushers to clear the tlappers of thecarriers. The transfer distance between successive tanks is necessarilyequal to the stroke of the carriage. I have found that in manyinstances, it is desirable to vary the distance between successivestations. For example, in the loading area of the machine, it may bedesirable to lengthen the distance between successive stations toaccommodate loading devices. Also, in some tanks, it may be desirable toincrease or decrease the transfer distance between successive tanks.Under some conditions of operation of the automatic plating machine, itmay also be desirable to skip particular stations entirely.

The present invention contemplates an automatic plating machine of thetype shown in my said copending application wherein auxiliary means areprovided for varying the distance between successive stations within atank or for varying the distance between transfer stations or forskipping particular stations entirely. More specifically, the presentinvention contemplates an automatic plating machine wherein motionfactoring means are provided for causing the work conveying members ofthe machine, that is, the pushers or the elevators, to move at a strokeless than, equal to or greater than the stroke of the reciprocatingcarriage.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an automatic platingmachine embodying the present invention, parts being broken away and theplating tanks being removed.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the automaticplating machine.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3--3 in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4 4 in Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5--5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of an automatic plating machineshowing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a furthermodification of an automatic plating machine embodying the presentinvention.

Fig. 8 is a generally schematic perspective View of the arrangementshown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 and showing `a further modified formof the invention.

Figs. l0 and ll are schematic diagrams showing the principle ofoperation of the modifications shown in Figs.

and 9.' respectively.'

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Referring now to Figs. l and 2, the general type of plating machineshown herein is substantially the same as the automatic plating machineshown in my copending application referred to above. Thus, as is thecase with the machine shown in said application, the present machineincludes a base 10 formed of structural members on which plating tanks12 are supported in a row. The machine preferably includes two rows oftanks, one at each side, and a semi-circular arrangement of tanks ateach end. In the drawings, the tanks at only one side of the machine areillustrated. Along the inner side of each row of tanks, there is mountedon base 10 a rigid upright frame 14 formed of structural members andreferred to as a panel. Along the longitudinal center line of base 10,there is arranged an inverted channel 16 which forms a guide for rollers18 on which an upright carriage 20 is mounted to reciprocate lengthwiseof the machine. A platform 22 at one end of the machine supports ahydromotor 24. Hydromotor 24 drives a crank 26 which is connected withcarriage 20 to reciprocate the carriage lengthwise of the machine alongchannel 16. Means not shown are provided for supporting carriage 20laterally in an upright position between the panels 14. Carriage 20comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending, vertically spacedchannels 28 that are interconnected by vertical braces 30. Atpredetermined intervals along carriage 20 are arranged elevators 32. Thefunction of these elevators will be described hereinafter.

Above the tanks are mounted rails 34 on which are slidably arrangedcarriers diagrammatically shown at 36. Carriers 36 support work racks 37which are designed to be conveyed through successive stations of thetanks 12 by pusher assemblies 38 supported on arms 40 extendinglaterally over the tanks 12 from carriage 20. As pointed out above, innumerous instances, it is desired to move the carriers 36 a distancegreater or less than the stroke of carriage 20. To accommodate for suchmovement, the pusher arms 40 are mounted on an auxiliary frame 42. Frame42 is in turn mounted for rolling movement on carriage 20. To providefor such mounting, carriage 20 has upper and lower guides 44 and 46mounted thereon. Upper guide 44 is adjustably clamped on a bracket 48and, if desired, may be made adjustable as by the provision of screws50. Frame 42 on which pusher arms 40 are tixedly mounted are alsoprovided with upper and lower guides 52 and 54, respectively.Anti-friction elements 56 are arranged between the respective guides sothat frame 42 is free to reciprocate on carriage 20.

A lever 60 is fixedly pivoted on panel I4 as by bearing blocks 62. Inthe arrangement shown in Fig. l, bearing blocks 62 are mounted on abrace structure 64 which is in turn ixedly mounted on the diagonalbraces 66 of panel 14. Lever 60 is arranged for pivotal movement in avertical plane. The upper end portion of lever 60 has spaced parallelflanges 68 secured to the opposite side edges thereof as by screws 70(Figs. 3, 4 and 5). ln effect, lever 60 forms a web between flanges 68.The flanges 68 at one side of the web provided by lever 60 form `aguideway for a roller 72 on auxiliary frame 42, and the portions offlanges 68 on the opposite side of the web formed by levers 60 provide aguideway for a roller 74 on carriage 20. Roller 72 is mounted on a pin76 iliizred on a bracket 78 projecting from one end of frame Thesupporting structure for roller 74 is shown most clearly in Figs. 3, 4and 5. This supporting structure comprises a base plate 80 securelyfastened to a pair of horizontal struts 82 fixedly mounted on carriage20. A roller mounting support generally designated 84 is in turn mountedon base plate 80. Roller mounting support 84 includes a base plate 86 ofrectangular shape which is secured to base plate 80 as by screws 88.Side bars 90 and end plates 92 are mounted on base plate 86 to form arectangular enclosure. A pair of spaced apart, longitudinally extendingguide bars 94 are xedly mounted on side bars 90. Between guides 94 isarranged a slide 96. Roller 74 is mounted by means of a bearing, notshown, on a stud 98 which projects through an opening 100 in slide 96.After the slide 96 is adjusted longitudinally to the desired positionbetween guides 94, it is adapted to be clamped in place by means oflocking screws 106 at opposite ends of slide 96 that threadcdlv engagewith clamps 108 which bear against the underside of slides 94 as at 110.It will be observed that by tightening screws 106, the inner race 112 ofthe bearing on which roller 74 is mounted is urged against the outerfaces of guides 94.

With this arrangement, it will be observed that when carriage 20 isreciprocated, lever 60 is caused to pivot back and forth in the bearingblocks 62. Since the roller 74 engages the flanges 68 of lever 60 at apoint between roller 72 and bearing blocks 62, the auxiliary frame 42with the pusher assemblies 38 mounted thereon moves a greater distancerelative to base than carriage 20. In other words, the stroke ofcarriage is amplified at pusher assemblies 38 by the particulararrangement of lever 60 illustrated. In this way, the distance betweensuccessive stations within the tanks serviced by pusher assemblies 38can be varied to suit particular requirements. A minute adjustment ofthe stroke of pusher assemblies 38 can be effected bv adjusting theposition of roller 74 on base plate 80. Thus, if it is desired toincrease slightly the stroke of pusher assemblies 38, then slide 96 isshifted by screws 104 in a direction longitudinally of lever 60; thatis, downwardly toward bearing blocks 62. On the other hand, if it isdesired to shorten slightly the stroke of pusher assemblies 38, slide 96is shifted upwardly on bracket 84; that is, away from bearing block 62.

In Fig. 6. I have shown a modified form of construction for impartingmovement of the pusher bar assemblies 38 relative to the carriage 20. Inthis form of construction, an auxiliary frame 114 is mounted forreciprocation on carriage 20 by means of upper and lower guides 116. Thepusher arms 40 are mounted on auxiliary frame 114. A U-shaped bridgestructure 118 is anchored at its lower ends on side panels 14 and alever 120 is pivoted on bridge structure 118 as at 122. Carriage 20 isconnected with lever 120 bv a link 124. Auxiliary frame 114 is providedwith an upright 126 which is in turn connected with lever 120 as bv `alink 128. Link 128 pivotally connects with upright 126 as at 130: and atits opposite end. it pivotally connects with lever 120 as at 132. Itwill be observed that the pivotal connection 132 is adjustablelongitudinally of lever 120 in a slot 134 in which it is clamped.

With the arrangement shown in Fig. 6, it will be observed that ascarriage 20 is reciprocated, lever 120 is caused to oscillate in ahorizontal plane. The distance through which it oscillates is controlledby link 124. Since the pivotal connection 136 between link 124 and lever120 is located intermediate the pivotal connections 122 and 132, it isapparent that the stroke of the carriage is amplified at the pusherassemblies 38. The exact stroke of pusher assemblies 38 is adjusted byadjusting the position of pivot 132 in slot 134. In the two arrangementsshown in Figs. 1 6, it will be observed that the pivotal connectionbetween the lever and the carriage is located at a point intermediatethe pivotal connections of the lever with the base of the machine andthe auxiliary frame on which the pusher assemblies are mounted. Thus, itwill be apparent that if it is desired to move the pusher assembliesthrough a stroke less than the stroke of the carriage, then thesepivotal connections would be reversed. For example, in the showing inFig. 6 if it were desired to move pusher assemblies 38 through adistance 4 less than the stroke of carriage 20, the pivotal connections132 and 136 of links 128 and 124 would be reversed.

In Figs. 7 through 11, there is illustrated an embodiment of the presentinvention as applied to the elevator structure of the machine. As isshown in these figures, each elevator 32 includes a vertically extendingrack bar 140 that is engaged by a gear 142 mounted on a shaft 144extending horizontally on the top side of carriage 20. Means, not shown,are provided for rotating shaft 144 in opposite directions to therebyraise and lower the elevator rack bar 140. A laterally extending arm 146is rigidly mounted at the upper end of elevator rack 140. Arm 146 hasguides 148 lxed thereon and extending transversely thereof, that is,extending longitudinally of the carriage. Within guides 14B, there isarranged for rolling movement a lifter assembly 150 which includes liftangles 152. Only one lift angle is shown in the drawings, but it will beapparent that two lift angles will be employed on opposite sides ofguides 148 for engaging with opposite ends of carriers 36.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 8, each pair of adjacent rack bars 140are interconnected by a brace 158 so that the elevators operate inpairs. In this case, guides 148 are mounted at the ends of adjacent arms146 and each lifter assembly will be supported by a pair of arms 146.

The operation of the elevators 32 are such that as each carrier 36approaches the end of a tank, the lift angles 152 engage the carrier;and the elevator is actuated to lift the carrier to an elevated positionwherein the work rack supported by the carrier will clear the upper edgeof the tank. The carriage moves through its stroke and the work rack isthus advanced to a position above the next adjacent tank. The elevatoris then actuated to lower the work rack onto the next adjacent tank.

In some cases, it may be desirable to limit the transfer distancebetween tanks to less than the stroke of the carriage; and in othercases, it might be desirable to increase the transfer distance beyondthe stroke of the carriage. Under some circumstances, it is alsodesirable to skip a transfer station entirely. By incorporating themotion factoring mechanism of the present invention on the elevators, itis possible to accomplish these variations in the transfer distance asdesired. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the transferdistance is limited to less than the stroke of the carriage. In thearrangement shown in Fig. 9, the invention is applied to the elevator soas to increase the transfer distance to an amount greater than thestroke of the carriage.

Thus, as will be observed in Fig. 7, alever 154 pivotally supported atits upper end by means of a pintle as at 156 on the elevator. Pintle 156may be mounted at the upper end of rack bar 14|), or as shown in Fig. 8,on cross bar 158. Roller 158 fixed on lifter assembly 150 is arranged toengage and be guided by a pair of flanges 160 attached to the oppositeside edges of lever 154 at the upper end thereof. The lower end of lever154 is provided with a second roller 162 which is guided for verticalmovement by means of a channel guideway 164 ixedly mounted in a verticalposition on the side panel 14. Thus, with this arrangement, when theelevator is actuated to elevate lifter assembly 150, roller 162 isshifted upwardly in guide 164. Thereafter, when carriage 20 isreciprocated, lever 154 is caused to oscillate about pintle 156, theroller 162 moving vertically in guideway 164. Since the roller 158 onlifter assembly 150 is disposed between pintle 156 and roller 162, thestroke of lifter assembly 150 will be somewhat less than the stroke ofcarriage 20. The relative strokes of the carriage and lifter assembly150 is shown diagrammatically in Fig. IO. The two positions of lever 154are designated 154a and 154b. The stroke of the carriage or the elevatoris indicated in the elevated position a1, and a2 in the loweredposition. The reduced stroke of lifter assembly 1501s designated by b1in the elevated position and b2 in the lowered position. The arrangementin Fig. 9 is generally the same as that shown ir. Fig. 7 with theexception, however, that the lifter assembly 150 is provided with avertical extension 166 on which the roller 158 is journalled. In thisarrangement, the pintle 156 by means of which the lever 154 is pivotallysupported on the elevator is located intermediate roller 158 and roller162 at the lower end of lever 154. Thus, in the arrangement shown inFig. 9, the stroke of lifter assembly 150 will be amplitied in relationto the stroke of carriage 20. This is illustrated diagrammatically inFig. ll wherein the stroke of the elevator in the raised position isdesignated c1 and in the lowered position c2. The stroke of lifterassembly 150 in the elevated position is designated d1 and in thelowered position d2.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a motion factoring mechanismfor an automatic plating machine which enables movement of work racks orcarriers through a stroke different from the stroke of the machine; thatis, the stroke of the carriage. Furthermore, it will be appreciated thatat one portion of the machine, the carriers may be moved through adistance different from the distance through which the carriers aremoved between stations at another location in the machine. Thevariations in the distances through which the work carriers are movedbetween successive cycles can be varied either while the work is beingconveyed through a tank or while the work is being transferred from onetank to another. The distance between successive stations within a tankcan be varied to suit the requirements by incorporating the motionfactoring mechanism between the carriage and the pusher bars such asshown at 40. The variations in the transfer distance between tanks canbe accomplished by incorporating the motion factoring mechanism of thepresent invention between the carriage and the elevators. In connectionwith the latter, it will be appreciated that the arrangement illustratedin Fig. 9 can also be employed for skipping a station entirely.

Throughout the specification and the appended claims, reference is madeto a plating machine and plating tanks. It will be appreciated that themotion factoring mechanism employed herein is applicable to any materialtreating apparatus wherein the work pieces have to be conveyed throughsuccessive stations. Thus, the invention is not limited strictly to aplating machine. It may be employed in any apparatus wherein the workpieces have to be conveyed in the manner described. Thus, the operationperformed on the work pieces need not be plating, it may be any sort ofchemical or electro-chemical treatment and the tanks need not containplating solution. Therefore, the terms plating machine and plating tanksare used in a broad sense to indicate a general type of apparatuswherein work pieces are treated at successive stations.

I claim:

l. In a plating machine, the combination comprising a support, a row ofplating tanks extending along said support, a carriage mounted on saidsupport for reciprocation along said row of plating tanks, means mountedon said carriage for movement longitudinally thereof, said lastmentioned means comprising a work conveying member, a lever, a pivotalconnection between said support and said lever, a second pivotalconnection between said lever and said carriage whereby movement of thecarriage relative to said support produces pivotal movement of saidlever and a third pivotal connection between said work conveying memberand said lever, said three pivotal connections being spacedlongitudinally of said lever whereby when said carriage is reciprocated,said work conveying member is caused to move relative thereto.

2. The combination called for in claim l wherein said carriage isprovided with a vertically movable elevator member, said work conveyingmember being carried by said elevator member, said pivotal connectionbetween said lever and said carriage being fixed on said elevatormember.

3. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein said lever is pivotallysupported for movement in a generally vertical plane and some of saidpivotal connections are slidable.

4. The combination called for in claim l wherein the pivotal connectionbetween the lever and the work conveying member is intermediate theother two pivotal connections.

5. The combination called for in claim l wherein the pivotal connectionbetween the lever and the carriage is intermediate the other two pivotalconnections.

6. In a plating machine, the combination comprising a support, a row ofplating tanks extending along said support, a carriage mounted on saidsupport for reciprocation along said row of plating tanks, means mountedon said carriage for movement longitudinally thereof, said lastmentioned means comprising a work conveying member, a lever, a fixedpivotal connection between said lever and said support, means forming adriving connection between said carriage and one portion of said leverand means forming a second driving connection between said workconveying member and another portion of said lever.

7. The combination called for in claim 6 wherein one of said drivingconnections is adjustable longitudinally of said lever to vary theeffective lever arm between said fixed pivotal connection and said lastmentioned driving connection.

8. In a plating machine, the combination comprising a support member, aplating tank on said support member, a carriage member mounted on saidsupport member for reciprocation lengthwise of the plating tank, a workconveying member mounted on said carriage member for rcciprocationthereon in a path generally parallel to the path of reciprocation ofsaid carriage member, said work conveying member extending over saidtank and adapted for moveably suspending work pieces to be plated insaid tank and means interconnecting said members comprising a leverpivotally mounted on one of said members and pivot means interconnectingsaid lever with said other two members, said pivot mounting and saidpivot means being spaced apart along said lever.

9. The combination called for in claim 8 wherein said lever is pivotallymounted on said support member and said pivot means comprise pivotalconnections between said lever and each of said other two members, saidpivotal connections being slidable lengthwise of said lever.

l0. The combination called for in claim 8 wherein said lever ispivotally mounted on said support and said pivot means comprise a pintleon said carriage member, a pintle on said work conveying member andguide means on said lever extending lengthwise thereof, said pintlesbeing engaged within said guide means and being movable lengthwisethereof.

ll. The combination called for in claim l0 wherein the pintle on thecarriage member comprises a stud and a roller on said stud.

l2. The combination called for in claim 10 wherein the pintle on saidcarriage member comprises a stud and a roller on said stud, said studbeing adjustable on said carriage member in a direction generallytowards and away from said pivotal mounting on said support whereby thestroke of the work conveying member relative to the carriage member maybe varied.

13. The combination called for in claim 10 wherein said pintles comprisea roller on said carriage member and a roller on said work conveyingmember, said guide means comprising guideways on said lever in whichsaid rollers are engaged.

14. In a plating machine, the combination comprising a support, aplating tank on said support, a carriage mounted on said support forreciprocation alongside and longitudinally of said plating tank, saidcarriage extending upwardly on said support above the upper edge of theplating tank, a work conveying member mounted on said carriage forreciprocation thereon in a path generally parallel to the path ofreciprocation of the carriage, said work conveying member having aportion extending laterally over said tank from which work pieces to betreated in the tank are arranged to be suspended, a lever extendinggenerally vertically between said tank and said carriage, said lever atits lower end having a pivotal connection and said support, the upperportion of said lever having individual pivotal connections with saidcarriage and said work conveying member, said last two mentioned pivotalconnections being spaced apart lengthwise of the lever.

l5. The combination called for in claim 14 wherein the lower end of thelever has a fixed pivotal connection with said support, the other twopivotal connections comprising rollers on said carriage and said workconveying member and guideways on said lever in which said rollers areengaged.

16. The combination called for in claim l5 wherein said guideways areformed on opposite faces of the lever.

17. The combination called for in claim l5 wherein at least one of therollers is adjustable on the member on which it is mounted for movementin a generally upwardly and downwardly direction.

18. In a plating machine, the combination comprising a support, a row ofplating tanks extending along said support, a carriage mounted on saidsupport for reciprocation lengthwise and alongside of `said row ofplating tanks, an elevator mechanism vertically movable on saidcarriage, a work lifting device mounted on said elevator mechanism forreciprocation lengthwise of the tanks in a horizontal plane above thetanks, a lever extending in a generally vertical plane and pivotallymounted on said elevator for movement both vertically and horizontallytherewith, the lower end of said lever having a vertically shiftablepivotal connection with said support, said lifting device having apivotal connection with the upper portion of said lever, said lastmentioned pivotal connection being slidable lengthwise of the lever.

19. The combination called for in claim 18 wherein the pivotal mountingof the lever on said elevator is intermediate said two pivotalconnections.

20. The combination called for in claim 18 wherein said two pivotalconnections are disposed below said pivotal mounting of the lever on theelevator.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,004,381 Danzinger Sept. 26. 1911 1,310,365 Moore July l5, 19192,484,079 Davis Oct. 1, 1949 2,580,800 Lavender Jan. 1, 1952

